It’s insane that this hasn’t been addressed yet. Even if we use Boxify, we’re not able to take advantage of Shopify’s discounted rates.
Topic summary
Shopify merchants are frustrated by the platform’s inability to calculate shipping costs based on different package sizes. The system only allows one default package size for all orders, leading to either overcharging customers on small items or losing money on larger products.
Core Issue:
- Merchants with varied product sizes cannot assign different box dimensions to individual products
- Shipping calculations use a single default package, causing significant cost discrepancies
- Some report losing money on large items or overcharging customers by hundreds of percent
Shopify’s Response:
- Official support recommends third-party apps like Boxify ($30+/month)
- Advanced Shopify plan ($299/month) required for third-party carrier calculations
- No native solution provided despite requests dating back to 2006
Community Reaction:
- Multiple users express disbelief that this basic functionality requires paid add-ons
- Comparisons made to other platforms (GoDaddy, WooCommerce) that include this feature by default
- Many threaten to switch platforms due to accumulating app costs
- Speculation that Shopify profits from app fees, disincentivizing native development
Workarounds Attempted:
- Setting mid-range default boxes and absorbing some losses
- Offering free shipping on larger items with increased product prices
- Manual refunds after calculating actual shipping costs
- Using weighted averages and dimensional weights
Status: Unresolved. No timeline provided for native implementation despite years of requests.
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